Ore stratifying and concentrating means



Dec. 8, 1953 Filed May 5. 1951 R. SPARKS ORE STRATIFYING AND CONCENTRATING MEANS 3 Sheet Sheet 1 Ground Ore Ore Feeder Vdaratin l6 Tabte I I F'g First l Concentrate Gangue l6 l Vibrating Table Second Concentrate 2 Gangue Inventor Gttorneg B RAL-PH SPA K Dec. 8, 1953 R. SPARKS 2,661,843

ORE STRATIFYING AND CONCENTRATING MEANS Filed May 3, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F ig. 4 I

Fig. 5

EZQPH SPAR Zmventor Gttorneg Dec. 8, L953 R. SPARKS 2,661,843

ORE STRATIFYING AND CONCENTRATING MEANS Filed May 3, 1951 5 Sheetgf-Sheet 3 Fig. 8

Bnventor RALPH SPARKS (Z ttorneg to ultimate recovery of a value Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT osp e 2,661,843 ORE STRATIFYING AND CONCENTRATIN G MEANS 1 Ralph Sparks, Pecos, Tex. Application May 3, 1951, Serial No. 224,308 3 Claims. 01. 209-443) This invention relates to means for the classification of comminuted ores and analogous materials with respect to their relativedensity and the isolation of one of the so-classified density categories as an incident of the classification operation, and has as an object to provide improved means effective to attainment of the ends set forth. v A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus economically and efliciently operable to classify comminuted ores with respect to particle density and to isolate a selected density fraction of the so-classified material as an incident of the classifying operation.

, A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for the extraction or recovery of values from comminuted natural ores. I

A further object of the invention is to provide means operable to eifect repetitious and progressive concentration of 'comminuted natural ores fraction therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means of vibrating table type adapted for the concentration'of ores in either dryor wet .pulp form.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means of vibrating table type operable to classify and simultaneously separate com.- minuted ore material with reference to the relative density of the ore particles.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means of vibrating table type adapted for the repetitious and progressive concentration of comminuted ore material.

A further object of the invention is to provide .an improved construction and arrangement of an improved construction and arrangement .of

elements constituting a vibrating table operable to stratify ore material with respectto particle density and to isolate a fraction of characteristic density from the material as an incident of its classifying operation. I

With the foregoing and otherobjects in view, my invention consists in the nature and sequential relation of steps consitutlng a method, and

in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements constituting apparatus, for the concentration 'of ores and analogous materials, all as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in

which- Figure 1 is a schematic representation of typical means applicable to and in an arrangement effective for practice of my improved method, the flow of materialirelative tothe illustrated apparatus being indicated by arrows. Figure 2 is a typical diagram,,or flow sheet, exemplifying the method characteristic of the arrangement ac cording to Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side elevation of a vibrating table assembly embodying the principles of the invention and effective for practice of the improved method, alternative positions to which certain of the table elements are adjustable being indicated by broken lines. Figure 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to Figure 3. Figure 5 is a transverse section taken substantially on the indicated line 5-5 of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a front, or discharge, end eleva tion of the organization according to Figure 3. Figure 7 is a fragmentary, detail elevation of typical means for vibratingly actuating the table element of the apparatus shown in Figures 3-6. Figure 8 is a fragmentary, detail elevation, partly in section, of a table-mounting connection employed in the apparatus assembly illustrated. Figure 9 is a fragmentary, detail isometric view of the front, or delivery end of the vibrating table included in the apparatus as illustrated. Figure 10 is a fragmentary, detail, side elevation, on a relatively enlarged scale, of the table end shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 is a fragmentary, detail section, on the same scale as Figure 10, taken substantially on the indicated line I |l l of Figure 9. Figure 12 is a conventionalized diagram of the means'and connections appropriate to effect table vibration through the agencies shown in Figure 7. I

In the art andpractice of ore dressingit has long been recognized that the relative density of the grains or particles of an appropriatelycomminuted ore may be. availed of for concentration of the ore with respect to its value content and for separation of values from the gangue of the pore. Among techniques applicable for utilization of such relative density differential with ore value concentrating andseparating effect, it is well established that a comminuted ore fed and translated in suitable bed depth to and across a vibrating table may be induced to travel over the table and caused to progressively stratify :From the foregoing it should be apparent that;

technique or process of ore concentration which,

consists of stratifying the ground ore according to particle density as an incident and consequence of its translation in a bed of appropriate depth'by and across a vibrating table and coincidentally isolating and diverting from the table a selected horizontal layer fraction of the sostratified material, either in and as a single stage operation or in and as a multi-stage operation characterized by repetitious like processing of the concentrates to ultimately-desired enrichment.

.Avibrating table construction and operative mounting suitable for practice of the improved method. above set forth as applied to various materials is exemplified by Figures 3-12, inclusive, of the drawings. As shown, the table I6 is represented as a smooth, plane sheet of rigid material formed or provided with upstanding marginal flanges 20 along its spacedly-parallel long sides, asimilar flange 2| closing between the said flanges 20 across the intake end of the table, and the. rib l9 rising from the sheet between and in parallel relation with the flanges 20 to divide the sheet into a wider upper surface area designated as. l6 and a narrower such area IE, it being manifest that the sheet constituting the operating areas of the table may be fabricated, reinforced, and braced in any particular manner to provide a rigid unit resistive of deformation during its use. Inwardly from the normal discharge end of the table the sheet areas l6 and I6 are transversely cut through, as at 22, and the edge so formed cooperates with the lips I! and ll of hingedly-adjustable panels 23 and 23, respectively, to constitute discharge throats of variable effective openings through which lower layers of the table charge may be diverted as an incident of charge translation along the table areas. The panels 23 and 23' are independently adjustable in a similarity of mounting and cooperate as smooth, coplanar continuations of the table areas [6 and I6 when adjusted into throat-closing engagement of their respective lips I! and l'! with the cut or edge 22, a mounting and arrangement of said panels effective to accomplish their purposes being illustrated as a hinge rod 24 supported transversely of and beneath the discharge end of the table assembly in and by means of apertured ears 25 fixedly depending from the corresponding ends of the flanges 20, apertured lugs 26 fixedly depending from and adjacent the discharge margins of said panels in engagement with the rod 24, arcuately-slotted ears 2'! fixedly depending from the flanges 20 inwardly therealong from the ears 25, a rod 28 transversely of the table assembly between said ears 2'! for altitudinal adjustment in the arcuate slots thereof between various clamped engagements therewith, and an apertured lug 29 fixedly depending to engagement with the rod 28 from each of the panels 23 and 23, so that altitudinal adjustment of said rod 28 in the slots of the ears 2! is refiected as vertical arc adjustment of the panels about their common hinge axis and consequent determination of lip l7 and I1 elevation relative to the adjacent table areas l6 and I6. Manifestly, a separate altitudinally-adjustable rod 28 may be provided for each of the panels, whereby to accommodate individual variation in the throat openings defined by the lips thereof. The

table assembly is completed by the provision of suitable means for entrapping, segregating, and

appropriately directing material delivered from the table through the throatsestablished beneath the elevated lips of the panels 23 an 23', and such means is typically illustrated as'acom'prising an outwardly anddownwardly inclined trough or launder l8 fixed transversely of and beneath the table to underlie the throat interrupting the table area I6 and to deliver laterally oi the tablea'ssembly, and a similar trough orlaunder l8 iliiderlying the throat interrupting the table area tion opposite to that of the element l8.

An operative mounting for thetable member is shown as includinga p'ainof like anglemembers 30 disposed in ispacedly-parallel opposition for limited adjustment through vertical arcs about the axes of hinges 3| connecting their corresponding ends with a suitable base, and means engaging between saidbase and the other ends of the members .30 selectively operable to vary:

and determine the altitudinal disposition of'the member 30 ends thereby supported. The means supporting corresponding ends of the members 30 for altitudinal adjustment may be of any desired appropriate type and construction and are but functionally typified by the illustrated 'arrange-' ment wherein brackets 32 fixedly upstanding from the base rotatably mount a shaft 33 transverselyof and beneath the ends of. the members 30 re-- mote fromthe hinges 3| and eccentrics 34 fixed;

frame mounting for the tablemember, like links; 36 pivotally upstanding in parallel from and adjacent the ends of eachmember 30 pivotally engage at their upper-ends with and thereby mount an angle bar 31, or equivalent rigid membenspacedly above and parallel to each of the members 30 and length-adjustable braces 38 connect, in

oppositely-inclined pairs, between each member 3 latter in any one of the several positions to which it'is susceptible of being shifted longitudinally and relative to the associated member 30.

While the table member may be operatively supported by and associated for vibration with the frame just above described through a variety of particular constructions and arrangements, the illustrated organization incorporating and utilizing hydraulic cylinder and piston unit as semblies of conventional type as pulsators is practical and efiicient. for practice of the improved method. To support the table member on and in the desired operative relation with the ad justable frame represented by the members 30 and bars 31, vertically-paired, like stems 39 are fixed to and outstand perpendicularly from inner faces of the member 30. and bar 31 vertical flanges adjacentthe points at which the links 38 pivotally connect with themember and bar. The axis of each said stem 39 lies in the-horizontal plane containing the axis of the adjacent link 36 pivotal connection when the member or bar carrying the same is horizontal, and each of said stems 39 hingedly mountsaplate 40 tangent thereto, susceptible of oscillation about the stem, axis, and extending inwardly of the assembly be-. 1 yond the inner end of theassociated stem." In-;

for delivery laterally. of the table in a direc- 9 and the associated bar 31 to immobilize the wamly-extending ends of the plates II are aper tured to receive and mount a straight, rigid strut 4! which engages through and spans between each vertically-registered pair or said plates in a manner to oppose the engaged plates on adja-' cent sides of their stems 35. Each strut H is thus disposed in spaced parallelism with an adjacent link 36, there being one such strut for each said link, in a strut length and mounting effective to maintain such parallelism in all adjusted posi= tions of the bar 31 relative to the associated member 30. Apertured ears 4! fixedly upstand from the side" flanges 20 of the table assembly in a spacing longitudinally thereof corresponding with the spacing between struts ti on the same side of the frame, and each of said ears carries a plate 43- end-swiveled thereto in a manner to outstand laterally from and parallel to the plane of the table. Each plate 43 isformed with a hole near its inner and adapted to receive and slidably accommodate the appropriate strut 41, so that engagement of said plates 43' with and to slide along the struts 4| serves to mount the table assembly ina generally horizontal disposition within the open area of the frame assembly where it is held against lateral and longitudinal displacement relative to the frame while free to travel altitudinally within the length range of the struts 41 between their mounting plates 40. As so mounted, the table assembly is yieldably supported and retained in a horizontal plane approximately at the .midlength of the struts 41 by means or expansive coil springs 44- engaged over and about the strut lengths on each side of the plates 43 in end-bearing engagement between said plates. and the plates 40 spacedly opposed thereto; and means, such as a; thimble 45 threadedlyengaging each plate loosely about the strut end 4i traversing the plate, is provided for varying and adjusting the pressure of the springs 44 in appropriate relation with the table assembly weight and load and to bal'ancea and P08151011 said assembly in relation to the means employedior its vibration.

Vibratory actuation of the table assembly frame-mounted arranged as shown and described is feasibly accomplished through the agency of a plurality oi like 'pulsator units 46 of conventional type and construction, each of which is essentially "an hydraulic cylinder andpiston assembly characterized by a piston stem projection axially through and exteriorly beyond one end of the associated cylinder andmeans for introducing fluid under pressureto the cy inder at each side of the piston therein; A pulsator unit 48' is fixed at its base to eachpf the plates 40' with its axis paralleling the ad acent strut 41 and its. piston stem pro ection engaging the adjacent surface oi the plate 43, thereby to dispose a pair of: said units 46 m axially-aligned opposition on the opposite sides: of a plate 43 with the piston stem projections of the units engaged against opposite surfaces of the plate in a rel V the spring-loaded plate axially of its strut 4lfor consequent and correspondingyvibration of the table assembly carried by said plates.

The pulsator units 46 are operatively included in a fluid-charged system effective'to accomplish their simultaneous, correlated actuation in a manner to develop table assembly vibration of desired amplitudeand-Irequency, one such system being represented by the diagram of Figure 12. A mechanical arrangement for. the generation'of pulsations. of desired amplitude and frequency .is

tionship operable to oscillateand table assembly, thus altitudinally vibrating ported in coaxial alignment and spaced adjacency of their piston stem projections to operatively engage the free end of a pivoted lever 48'lnterposed between the ends of said stem projections. and at approximately right angles to their common axis. An elongated slot 49 longitudinally of the lever 48 slidably accommodates a crank pin 59 carried by and in an adjustable eccentricity on a rotatable disk 5| which is power-driven by any suitable power source, such as an electric motor 52, so that rotation of said disk operates to oscillate the lever 48. on itspivot mounting.

for repetitious, periodic, and alternate retraction of the pulse-tor stem projections thereby engaged within their respective cylinders, the frequency of lever 48. oscillation being a function of the.

speed of disk 5! rotation and the amplitude of such oscillation being a function of crank pin in eccentricity, both'of which are hence subjectto The pulsator units.

regulation and adjustment. 4,? are provided with means for introducing fluid under pressure to, or for permitting escape of fluid from, their cylinders on each side of the associated pistons, and the said means of the units 41 are intercoupled andconnected with the like meam or the units 46 through an arrange.- ment of pipes or, conduits in a manner to transmit piston displacements of the units 4'! acting on and through a charge of fluid, such as oil, filling the units 16, 4.1 and the said pipes or conduits,

, 1 to cheat corresponding displacements of the unit 48 pistons with pulsating reaction against the plates c3 and the table assembly thereby supported. In the illustrated arrangement, a branched conduit 53 connected with the piston side of one unit 4! remote from the lever 48 and the piston side of the other unit 41 adjacent said lever serves, through appropriate branches, the cylinders of all of the units 46 beneath, or on the lower side of their respective pistons, while a similar branched conduit 54 connected with the piston sides of the units 4'! not served by the conduit 53 leads through suitable branches to all of the units 46 and connects therewith above or on the upper side of their respective pistons,

so that pressure impulses manifest in the conduit 53ers a consequence of unit 47 piston displace ment in the appropriate direction through the agency of the lever '48 act to elevate the unit It pistons, plates 43, and table assembly, while simi" lar impulses manifest in the conduit 54' as a result of lever 48 oscillation in the opposite direction act to depress the unit 46 pistons, plates 43,

said table assembly.

With the links 36 and their parallel struts 4! vertical, the table assembly parallel to the members 3d, and said latter members horizontal, vi-

bration of the table assembly accomplished through the pulsatorsystem as above described 1s necessarily vertical and lacking in any horizontal component, the result of such vibration being simply an agitation of thematerial charge on the table without any charge translation.

However,.the discharge end of the table may be elevated or lowered through the agency of the means 33-35 for the development of a gravity factor influencing translation of the charge under" agitation on the table, and the direction of 'pulsation application may be" varied through adjustment or the braces 'dfl-toshift the barsfi'l'zl'ohgitudinally of the members 30 with consequent inclination of the links 36, struts ll, and pulsator unit 46 axes away from the vertical, either or both, thereby to so relate the table inclination and the direction of pulsation application .to the material under treatment and the concentration thereof desired as to develop and maintain material translation from the infeed and to the discharge end of the table during and as an incident of the material agitation and stratification resulting from table assembly vibration.

Use of the apparatus shown and described in and for practice of the improved method should be reasonably apparent from the foregoing. The frame mounting the table assembly having been adjusted to provide the appropriate table inclination and direction of pulsation application, the appropriate pulsation frequency and amplitude having been determined and established through regulations and adjustments characterizing the pulsation-generating means, and the lips I! and ll of the adjustable panels 23 and 23' having been set at suitable elevations relative to their adjacent table areas, comminuted ore material delivered through the feeder IE to the end of the table area I6 remote from the panel 23 is thoroughly and persistently agitated in reaction to table vibration, is caused to travel from the infeed and to the discharge end of the table by virtue of such vibration, is induced to stratify in layers of characteristic particle density as it travels along the table, and is separated as it meets the lip I1 in the course of its travel into a heavier particle fraction diverted through the throat beneath said lip into the launder I8 and a lighter particle fraction which passes over the lip and across the panel 23 to discharge at the end of the table assembly; the heavier particle fraction from the launder I8 similarly reacting when fed to the table area I5 through the feeder I5 and resolving into an enriched heavy particle concentrate diverted beneath the lip H to and through the launder I8 and a lighter particle component retained on and for discharge travel across the panel 23.

Since changes, variations, and modifications in the form, construction, and arrangement of the structural organization shown and described may be had without departing from the spirit of the invention and without deviating from the principles of the method susceptible of practice therethrough, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrative showing and foregoing description.

I claim as my invention:

1. Ore concentrating and separating apparatus comprising a frame adjustable about a transverse horizontal axis, link-supported upper bars in said frame longitudinally shiftable in maintained parallelism with their plane of longitudinal adjustment about said axis, a pair of spacedlyparallel struts pivotally end-connected with each of said upper bars altitudinally of the frame for adjustment relative to the vertical in reaction to longitudinal shift of the associated bar, a mounting block slidably spring-positioned on each of said struts, a table carried by said blocks in maintained parallelism with said upper bars, pulsator units pivotally carried by said frame and engaging said blocks for the synchronous vibra- 10 tion of the latter axially of their struts in all adjusted strut dispositions, means for infeeding comminuted ore to one end of said table, and an adjustable diversion throat transversely interrupting said table inwardly adjacent its other end.

2. Ore concentrating and separating apparatus comprising spacedly-parallel base frame members simultaneously adjustable about the same transverse horizontal axis, a frame bar pivotally linked to and spaced upwardly from each of said members for longitudinal displacement relative to and in maintained parallelism with the associated member, means for adjusting and securing said bars relative to said members, spacedlyparallel struts pivotally end-engaged with and spanning between each said bar and associated member, mounting blocks slidably spring-positioned on said struts, a table carried by said mounting blocks in maintained parallelism with said base frame members, pulsator units engaging said blocks for synchronous vibration thereof I axially of their struts, means for infeeding comminuted ore to one end of said table, and a panel hinged to and transversely interrupting the table end remote from said infeed means altitudinally adjustable to establish a diversion throat from the plane of the table.

3. In ore concentrating and separating apparatus characterized by a frame adjustable about a transverse horizontal axis and a table carried by, adjustable with, and for vibration relative to said frame, a frame mounting of the table selectively adjustable to vary the angle of vibration input to the table while maintaining the table attitude resulting from adjustment of said frame about said axis, said mounting comprising linksupported upper bars in said frame longitudinally shiftable in maintained parallelism with their plane of longitudinal adjustment about said axis, a pair of spacedly-parallel struts pivotally endconnected with each of said upper bars altitudinally of the frame for adjustment relativ to the vertical in reaction to longitudinal shift of the associated bar, a mounting block slidably springpositioned on each of said struts and engaged with said table, pulsator units pivotally carried by said frame and engaging said blocks for the synchronous vibration of the latter axially of their struts in all adjusted strut dispositions, and means for adjustably securing said upper bars in selected positions of longitudinal shift relative to the frame-mounting axis.

RALPH SPARKS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 650,138 Smith May 22, 1900 1,049,217 Fasting Dec. 31, 19 12 1;068,162 Payne July 22, 1912 1,252,273 Lever Jan. 1, 1918 1,327,902 Bolthoff Jan. 13, 1920 1,512,204 Dickens Oct. 21, 1924 1,512,70 Lockwood Oct. 21, 1924 2,211,000 Brown Aug. 13, 19 10 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 311,310 Great Britain Feb. 9, 1928 

